News / Local
Harare has over 5,000 illegal billboards
30 Jun 2025 at 18:33hrs | Views
Shocking revelations emerged this week that Harare City Council officials are allegedly complicit in the illegal erection and operation of over 5,000 billboards across the capital, costing the local authority vast amounts in lost revenue.
The city is reportedly collecting payments from only 187 legal billboards - a fraction of the structures currently dotting the city's skyline - with the remainder operating without council approval or payment.
This was disclosed during a meeting between the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Public Accounts and senior City of Harare officials led by Mayor Councillor Jacob Mafume. The meeting was convened to review findings from a recent value-for-money audit conducted by the Auditor-General on nine local authorities.
Public Accounts Committee chairperson Chalton Hwende briefed the media following the session, stating that the scale of corruption uncovered was deeply concerning.
"The City of Harare is only collecting fees from 187 legal billboards, while over 5,000 are illegal and not generating any revenue for the city," said Hwende. "When we inquired about enforcement mechanisms to remove these billboards, officials claimed they lacked a crane. But it later emerged that some of these officials are actually behind the illegal billboards and are collecting the money themselves. This clearly explains their reluctance to act."
Hwende said the audit findings revealed "gross mismanagement and systemic corruption" within council operations and warned that corrective action must be urgently taken to stop the financial haemorrhaging.
The revelations come amid mounting public frustration over the City of Harare's deteriorating service delivery and failure to rein in illegal activities within its jurisdiction.
In recent months, council officials have also faced accusations of turning a blind eye to the rampant operation of unregistered commuter omnibuses, known locally as "mushikashika," allegedly in exchange for bribes. Many of these vehicles operate freely near council offices.
Additionally, the city is reportedly struggling to enforce licensing compliance among tuckshops and informal businesses, with suggestions that some officials are receiving kickbacks to look the other way.
As the public and lawmakers demand accountability, the City of Harare faces growing pressure to implement transparency reforms, enforce its by-laws, and stem the tide of revenue losses that threaten its ability to provide basic services.
The city is reportedly collecting payments from only 187 legal billboards - a fraction of the structures currently dotting the city's skyline - with the remainder operating without council approval or payment.
This was disclosed during a meeting between the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Public Accounts and senior City of Harare officials led by Mayor Councillor Jacob Mafume. The meeting was convened to review findings from a recent value-for-money audit conducted by the Auditor-General on nine local authorities.
Public Accounts Committee chairperson Chalton Hwende briefed the media following the session, stating that the scale of corruption uncovered was deeply concerning.
"The City of Harare is only collecting fees from 187 legal billboards, while over 5,000 are illegal and not generating any revenue for the city," said Hwende. "When we inquired about enforcement mechanisms to remove these billboards, officials claimed they lacked a crane. But it later emerged that some of these officials are actually behind the illegal billboards and are collecting the money themselves. This clearly explains their reluctance to act."
Hwende said the audit findings revealed "gross mismanagement and systemic corruption" within council operations and warned that corrective action must be urgently taken to stop the financial haemorrhaging.
The revelations come amid mounting public frustration over the City of Harare's deteriorating service delivery and failure to rein in illegal activities within its jurisdiction.
In recent months, council officials have also faced accusations of turning a blind eye to the rampant operation of unregistered commuter omnibuses, known locally as "mushikashika," allegedly in exchange for bribes. Many of these vehicles operate freely near council offices.
Additionally, the city is reportedly struggling to enforce licensing compliance among tuckshops and informal businesses, with suggestions that some officials are receiving kickbacks to look the other way.
As the public and lawmakers demand accountability, the City of Harare faces growing pressure to implement transparency reforms, enforce its by-laws, and stem the tide of revenue losses that threaten its ability to provide basic services.
Source - The Herald
